Utility firms could be charged up to £2,500 a day for roadworks on some of Richmond's busiest roads at peak times.

Richmond Council is planning to introduce the charges from May next year to minimise disruption on the borough's roads.

A new report by council officers said introducing a lane rental scheme in Richmond would encourage utility firms and contractors to plan works more efficiently and slash disruption.

Expected benefits include reduced congestion, more reliable journeys, better coordination of roadworks and improved air quality.

The Department for Transport (DfT) says lane rental allows highway authorities to charge up to £2,500 a day to work on the busiest roads at peak times.

The Council predicts it could make a net profit of £170,000 a year by introducing the scheme to spend on highway maintenance and transport initiatives.

Transport for London (TfL) has operated a lane rental scheme across the capital since 2012, affecting the busiest roads it owns at peak times, but this does not include council-owned roads.

Richmond is now hoping to join other London boroughs, including Lambeth, Merton, Camden and Enfield, which introduced their own schemes this year.

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The report said the scheme would encourage "works to be delivered outside peak periods where possible" and reduce their impact on congestion, journey reliability and network performance.

It added: "The scheme is expected to help reduce disruption on key routes, improve network management outcomes and generate additional ring-fenced funding that can be used to support highway maintenance and transport-related improvements."

The Council's transport committee will vote on officers' recommendation to move ahead with consulting on the plans on Monday, 7 September.

The Council would then apply to the DfT to introduce the scheme. If the plans are approved, the Council expects to begin charging companies from May next year.

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